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King Charles is known for his love of gardening, which reportedly includes keeping a pristine garden at his private home, Highgrove House. However, the monarch has been hit by allegations from royal gardeners who claim the working conditions at Highgrove are inadequate. The King’s treatment of his staff has also been called into question by a new report in The Times.
An article titled “King Charles, the disquiet at Highgrove and the gardeners’ exodus” in The Times explores claims made by former royal employees. According to the outlet, King Charles “has remained involved on the most minute level, supervising everything from the size of peaches to the shade of roses.” The monarch apparently makes his opinions known to staff by “sending notes in thick red ink,” with his memos described by the outlet as “strikingly specific,” “emotional,” and “demanding.”
According to The Times, King Charles allegedly uses his memos to share his “almighty disappointment” if anything in the garden is amiss. He has also been known for “correcting grammar,” the publication noted. And, that’s not all.
King Charles allegedly uses his memos to share his “almighty disappointment.” | Credit: Getty Images
King Charles’s influence at Highgrove is so dramatic that, per The Times, he “has lost 11 of 12 garden staff since 2022 including two head gardeners who quit within a year.” Of the employees who have left the monarch’s employment, one reportedly “failed his probation after revealing a lack of knowledge about a particular flower, instantly losing Charles’s trust.” The King allegedly said of the employee, “Don’t put that man in front of me again.”
Meanwhile, a manager apparently communicates King Charles’s requests to his employees, some of whom “have complained of poor conditions, including pay as low as minimum wage,” via The Times. One employee also alleged that “staff had developed physical injuries trying to keep up, and that the team suffered from low morale.”
The monarch apparently makes his opinions known to staff by “sending notes in thick red ink.” | Credit: Getty Images
An investigation by The King’s Foundation confirmed that “poor” management and low pay contributed to staff shortages at Highgrove. However, according to The Times, despite any frustrations that may exist, “The King remains as committed to his estate as ever.”
